Advertising device



July 20 1926.

` l,$3,286` H. o. BRowN ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed OCF,l 5l 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet I fw/uml;

miur-ned,

July 20', 1926.

H. O. BROWN ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5l, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fNvENToR Imaz/3,7m,

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H. o. BROWN ADVERTISING DEVICE s sheets-sheet :s

Filed 0G13. 31 1924 Inveniol: lmmmfmw BY 1f W- 15am,

.my 2o, 1926.`

Patented `luly 20, 1926i.

, UNITED STATES HERBERT O. BROWN, OF FAIRFIELD, MAINE.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Application inea october si, 1924.v serial No. 747,097.

.My invention relates to an advertising device for use in storewindows, and it is designed particularly for vstore window displays at Christmas time. The invention 6 consists of mechanism for imparting motion to the figures which enact a pantomime setting forth Santa Claus and the children as they might be expected to perform at Christmas time. y

The scene of the pantomime includes` chimney,v Santa Claus on the inside a-nd one or more children on the outside.

At the beginningI the children are located on the shelf which represents the floor of a room and Santa is supposed lto be at some point within the chimney.

The pantomime opens by the children climbing to the top of the chimney, peering down into it as if intent on finding Santa.

At this point lthey are supposed tohave seen Santa Claus inside and at once they drop back and down to their originalposition 011 the floor.

Immediately thereafter Santa Claus 5 raises, first one of his hands to the top of the chilnney, and then the other, and finally lifts his head so as to look out over the top of the chimney where he is supposed to see the children. While he is rising to this position a side to side movement is given to his head as though he wasv looking about, and when he catches sight of. the children he at once falls to his lowest position within the chimney. y

This little drama or pantomime is repeated over and over `again in the store window, and is designed to call the publics attention to the fact that Christmas goods are on sale at the store The invention consists of the various mechanical parts for producing the various motions of Santa Claus and the children for the purpose of enacting mechanically the above described pantomime.

While I have chosen the figures representingthe actors in the pantomime appropriate for the Christmas season, it is obvious that any other combination of subjectsa such as a cat and mice, substituting therefor Santa and the children, respectively, may be employed in a mechanically operated advertising device of the nature of the one disclosed.

. I have illustrated the mechanism used in my invention by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l represents an endl elevation of the actuating parts,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same taken general `arrangement of the rods and arms used in operating the device,and upon certain parts of which the figures or characters in the pantomime are mounted.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout all the different views of the drawings.

I begin a description of the device, stating the mechanical function of each element entering into its construction, with the different movements, required to produce the desired results given in their proper sequence, I will take, as a starting point, the machine as it is portrayed in Figs. l` and 2, showing all parts at rest, or at. the commencement of one complete cycle of actuation of the whole assembly, the only elements lacking in these two views being the character figures and these are illustrated in Fig. 3.

To combine the moving parts into a coinpact unit structure I secure a back-board l interiorly to the front wall of the member 2, representing the chimney, and attach thereto all the moving parts except the child ligure which is partly mounted on the shelf 3 exteriorly of the front chimney or wall.

Secured 'to the board l is a plate 4, having an offset and extended portion 5, with a hole 6 therein. Fixed in this hole isa stud 7, rotating over which is adisc 8. This disc initiates and controls allthe pantomimic actions of the character figures.

There is formed on the back side of this disc a series of ratchet teeth 9 (Fig. 5), upon which operatesthe pawl l() yieldingly secured to 'the ratchet arm l1, one end of which ,is pivotally mounted on the stud 7 and has on its opposite end a stud 12. Mounted on the stud 12 is the oscillating end of a connecting-rod (see Fig. 2) having at its lower end connections with a crank-pin 14, hy which it is driven. 15 is a crank-disc to which the crank-pin 14 is secured; it is mounted on the shaft 16, which runs in bearings 17. This crank may be actuated by any convenient prime motor, but I have illustrated the drive as consisting ofl an electric motor 18 with a belt from the same operating the pulley 19 mounted on the shaft 16.

It will be seen that the rotation of the crank-pin 14 will transmit an oscillatory movement to the pin 1'2, which through the paw] 11 and the ratchet teeth 9 will cause the disc 8 to rotate in a. series of intermittent movements and willproduce in the actor characters, as they are made to move a hesitating action.

A spring dog 11 engaging the teeth as the cam turns prevents the disc 8 returning or rotating backwardly, on the return stroke of the ratchet pawl.

Projecting outwardly from the side of the disc 8 is an arcuate section 20 having its right-angularly disposed face 20 formed into a cam surface at its edge and at 21 and 22 are projecting shoulders on the face ofthe disc and at 23 an outwardly extendm ing upturned portion, the purpose of all of which will hereinafter be explained.

Referring' to` Fig. 3' the child figure is shown as having risen from the Crouching or at rest position to the standing posture. This is the rst in the series of'pantomimic actions.

To obtain this movement of the child I extend' horizontally across the boardL 1 a rod 24, (see Fig. 2) oscillating in bearings 25. At each end of this rod, and integral' therewith, are right-angularly disposed portions 26, normally downwardly inclined', and; at 27 (see Figs. 1 and 2) I secure an upturned arm to the saidv rod 24 and so placed as to be in the path of the cam portion 20 of the disc 8.

[Secured tothe portions 26'by their being thrust into one of ther pivoted arms of each child, are character figures 28 representing childreny one in full and one in dotted line.

As illustrated the device carries two ofl these figures. By providing more of the arms 26 a greater number of children may be employed. The figures are jointed at the shoulders and hips andthe feet are secured to the shelf 3.

As the disc 8 revolves, the cam portion 20 engages the arm 27 (Fig. 2) and slowly, and' by intermittent movements brings the portions 26 intov a raised-or substantiallyupri'ght position, and liftingv the child figureY from thecrouch-ing, tothe erect1 posi tion, as seen in Fig. 3. As the figures are secured to a rod 26 hung at andl swinging from a central point the movement of the ligure is a combination ofV vertical and horizontal actions. The child first appears to be afraid to rise and; swings outwardly away from the chimney in which he expects to lind. San-ta Claus, this movement being on the outward swing of the attaching point of the child on the rod; but presently he apparently gains courage and in continuing to rise from this point swings in on the arc nearer the chimney, until at the eX- treme upward position he is looking d'own into the same.

Taking this, together with the halting action inv rising the child simulates the hesitating, expectant attitude' displayed by the average' human child when things pertaining to Santa Claus are under consideras tion.

The ratchet teeth are s0 spaced that the ligure remains in the extreme upposition for a space of time, but'y to still'y further carry out the illusion, the child', apparently again becoming afraidI of something he sees within the chimney, is made' to drop back suddenly to his original Crouching position. rlhis movement takes place when the arm 27 falls olf from the part 23, (see Fig. 2) the function of whichl is to somewhat prolong the dwellof the arml 27 without extending the cam face 20 unduly.

The second part of the pantomime concerns the action of Santa Claus. On the rod 29, which is oscillativelyy mounted' in bearings 30 is an outwardly extending arm 31, placed in thev path of the projection 21, on the disc 8. On the' opposite end ofi this rod 29 is an offset portion 32, normally resting in a substantially horizontal position and having on its outer end a bent over part formed into a hook 33. Sewed on, tied-y or otherwise secured to this hook is a representation of the human hand encased in a glove or mitten 34 (Fig. 3). lliithin this glove is a flat spring 35, the inner end being fastened to the wristportion of the glove, or to the hook 33. To the outer end, or the end nearest to the" tip ofthe fingers a cord 36 attaches to this spring, and' extends out of the glove to be ixedonsome part of the back wall ofr the chimney or other solid foundation.

As the project-ion 21 engages the'arm 31 it sivingsthe odset portion 32, upon which-is mounted the glove over the hooked end, upwardly until the fingers of the glove lay flat upon the top of the chimney. Up to this point the swing ofthe arm 32 is not quite completed, but thecord 36 has become taut. A slight further movement forward, completing the swing ofthe arm 32', pushes the body of the glove forwardly, but the fingers, controlledA by the. cord-attached end. ofi the Hat spring, are caused to contract and assume a curved shape simulating the grasp by the human hand of the chimney top.

This operation-is duplicated by substantially similar mechanism to operate the end of the other hand of Santa Claus.

Projections 22 engage the arm 37 having the offset portion 38 and the hooked end 39 integral with the rod 40, the latter oscillating in bearings 41.

During the upward swing of the hook 39, carrying thelast mentioned glove, the rotation of the disc 8 brings the cam face 20 into engagement with vthe bent arm 42, the latter being a part of the rod 43 which oscillates in bearing 44, thewhole terminating in an eye 45 whichloosely connects with alink member `46.

Centrally of the machine, and oscillativelymounted on the back-boardv 1, on pivot pins 47 and 48 is a standard 49. Positioned some distance back toward the rear wall of the chimney is another standard 50. Connecting the two standards 49 and 50 are rods 51 and 52 (see Fig. l) their ends being bent over at right angles to their lengtlw made to `lit holes49 and 50 in the standards 49 and 50 respectively;

On the lower end of the link 46 is an eye 46 swingingly connected to a similar eye formed on the .rod 51. The holes 49 49 and 50-50 in the standards 49 and 50 respectively, are equally spaced, so that the rods 51 and 52 are parallel. When the bent arm 42 lifts the rod 43 through the engagement of the former with the cam face 20',

as heretofore stated, it brings through thek connecting parts, the standard 50 upward and forwardly toward the front of the chimney. On account of the parallelism of the rods 5l and 52l the `standard will rise and always remain in a perpendicular position.

On the top of the standard 50 is mounted a representation of the head of Santa Claus 50 and the movement which brings the latter 'from the lower to the high position made during and subsequent to the lifting of the second hand. Both hands of Santa areheld in position, grasping the chimney top. by the arms 31 and 37 contacting on the backside of .the disc 8, or at the rear of the arcuate section 20. IVhen the disc 8 revolves so that the arms 31, 37 and 42 fall olf the end ofi the section 21 and 22 the three characters namely the head and two hands ofv Santa Claus mentioned will drop back to their original positions, and the whole mechanism,I having completed one cycle movement, will once more come to the at rest station.

'lo I,e'ive'a still further realistic effect to the actions of Santa Claus I provide means for oscillating` the standards 49 and 50 about the pins 47 and 48. To accomplish this I connect a link-bar 53 one end of the connecting rod 13 at 54, and the other end to a screw eye 55 extending out from the rearward side of the standard 49. The oscillation of these standards will cause Santa to appear .to be looking, l'irst in one direction and then in the other, as if to discover the whereabouts of the children whom he is seeking.

In the foregoing I have described-.and illustrated but one of the possible embodiments of my invention, and I do not restrict myself to the absolute construction as herein set forth, but consider myself at liberty to employ any deviation from the design and detail of parts disclosed provided always that it shall come within the meaning and intent of my invention and of the appended claims.

l. In a window display for advertising, the combination of a construction representing a chimney or wall, a support securedthereto, an upright member adjacent thereto, a head of Santa Claus 'or the like thereon, a pair of parallel swinging rods pivoted to said upright member and to said support, a third swinging rod pivoted to said support, all of said swinging rods being substantially horizontal and terminating adjacent to the wall or chimney, said third swinging rod having secured at the end thereof a glove or mitten, ahorizontal bar journaled in said support and connected with one of the parallel rods, a cam rotatably mounted on said support andhaving means for engaging said bar and said third swinging rod to` cause the head of Santa Claus to rise aboveI the level of the chimney or wall and said glove or mitten to be placed on the top of said wall and to return to their initial positions.

2. In a window display forl advertising, the combination of a construction representing a chimney o'r wall, a support secured thereto, an upright member adjacent thereto, a head of Santa Claus or the like thereon, a pair of parallel swinging rods pivoted to said upright member and to said support, a third swinging rod pivoted to said support, all of said swinging rods being substantially horizontal and terminating adjacent to the wall or chimney, said third rod having secured to the end thereof, a substantially straight flexible spring, a glove or mitten secured to said spring, a flexible cord secured to the inner end of said spring, the other end thereof being secured to a permanent portion of said construction, a horizontal bar liournaled in said support and connected with one of the parallel swinging rods, a cam rotatably mounted on saidsupport and having meansrfor engaging said horizontal bar and said third swinging rod to cause thehead of Santa Claus to rise above the level of the chimney or wall and said glove or mitten to rest on the top of'said in combination, a fixed upright wall, a shelf thereon, arod jouina-led on said wall having.

an odset portion, a iigu-rerepresenting a child crouched on said shelf with its arms engaging said oiiset portion; and a cam-having means engaging said rod toy cause its oscillation whereby the figure is raised from its crouched position to a standing position and returned to its crouched position.

4. A window display .device for advertising, the combination or a' construction if representing =a wall or chimney, a support secured thereto, an upright adjacent vthereto, a iigure as of Santa Claus secured to said upright, a pair oi horizontal bars pivoted to said upright and to said` support a third l bar pi-voted to said support and having` on its outer end a glove or mitten, a horizontal rodi journaled in said support. and secured to one of said pair oiy barst a cani for rotating said horizontal rodi and said third bar to raise the head and figure of Santa Claus above the edge of the chimney andV to place said mitten or glove in contact: therewith and means for allowing the part to falli to their initial-position, the ligure ot a child adjacent to said chimney and on the other side from Santa Claus, a horizontal rod journaledin said strpport and having an arm projecting` therefrom, the said ligure of the child securedto said arm, means on said cam for rotating said rod to elevate said ligure so that its head comes. above the wall or chimney and means for releasing the parts to Vcause themto fall to their lower position, the releasing mechanism adapted to allow Santa Claus to 'fall to its lower position alternately .with the tallof the tigure of the child to its lower position whereby first Santa Claus and then the child will peer over the top of the wall or chimney and then dodge back to their lower positions.

5. In a'window display for advertising, the combination oii a construction representing a chimney or wall, a support. securedy thereto, an upright member adjacent thereto, a head of Santa Claus or the like thereon, a pair of parallel swinging rods pivoted to said uprightwmeinber a-nd toA said support, a third swinging rod pivoted to said support, all ot said swinging rods being substantially horizontal and terminating adjacent to the wall or chimney, said third swinging rod having secured at the end thereof, a glove or mitten, a horizontal bar jouriialled in said support and connected to one of the parallel swinging rods, a cam rotatably mounted on said support for rotating said horizontal bar and said third swinging rod to cause the head of Santal Claus to raise above the level of the chimney or walll and said glove or mitten to be placed on they topoii said wall. and means. for. suddenly allowing said swinging rods to fall to their lower positions. and means for causing said` upright to turn from side to side while rising".- t

i6. In a window display for advertising, the combination oi a construction representing a chimney or wall, a ixedsu'pport securedy thereto, a rotatable support mounted on said fixed support, an upright member adjacent thereto, a head oi. Santa Claus or the like thereon, 'a pair. ot parallel swinging rods pivoted to said upright. member and to said rotatable support, a third swingiii-g rod pivoted to said ixed support, all o-'l said'y swinging rods being substantially horizontal Aand terminating adjacent tov thewall or chimney, said third swinging rod having secured at the end thereof a glove or mitten, a horizontal bar journaled'in said fixed support and connected with one of said parallel swinging rods, a cam rotatably mounted on said iixed support for rotating said: horizontal ba-r and saidv third swinging rod to cause the head of Santa Claus to rise above the level of the chimney or wall and said glove or mitten to be placedv on the top oi said wall andi means for suddenly allowing said swinging rods to fall to their lower positions, an electric motor, oscillating mechanism connected thereto and to the cam, ya-conn'ecting rod connecting said oscillating mechanism` With said rotatablev support for turning thehead of Santa Claus from side to side.

T. A display device-comprising, in combination, a lixed upright wall, a figure representing a crouched child mounted on one' side of the wall, a iigure representing Santa Claus mounted on the other side of said wall, rods mountedon said Wall having engagement with said figuresand with aK cam, and said cam having means for engagiiig said rods to alternately raise said tigures to the top'i of thewal-l; the said means being adapted to raise one figure while the other figure is permitted to remain below the vtop of the wall.

8. A display device comprising, in com'- bination, a fixed upright Wall, a figure representing a mittened hand mounted movably on one side of the Wall; means Jfor moving said lia-iid to the top of the Wall; and means for moving said hand to represent gripping said Wall.

9. Av display device comprising, in combination a fixed upright wall, a figure representing a head mounted movably on onev side of the wall; means for moving said head to the top of the wall; and means having operative connection with the last saidl means for rocking the iigure sidewisel While somoving.

HERBERT O. BROWN.

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